Osteospermum plant named `Highside`

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of the Compositae family, Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl., common name Cape Daisy, denominated &#39;Highside.&#39;The new variety is distinguished from its parents and all other members of the genera known to the inventor by: the ability of its flower heads to remain open in low light conditions, its distinctive coloring-the ray florets being red-purple and the disk florets being violet blue; its strong peduncles; and its dwarf, vigorous, medium-spreading growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of theCompositae family. The new variety is named Osteospermum fruticosum (L.)Norl. `Highside`. A common name for the species to which the new varietybelongs is Cape Daisy. The inventor is Mr. Masao Kanno, a Japanesecitizen.

This new variety originated as a seedling from a controlledhybridization by the inventor. The starting material for thehybridization were Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl. `Burgundy Purple`and Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl. `White`, these two varietiesbeing selected from the inventor's breeding stock in Japan. Theobjective of the breeding program was to develop a variety suitable forpot culture whose flower heads would remain open under low lightconditions. The species Osteospermum fruticosum(L.) Norl. normally onlyremains open in bright sunlight.

In 1986, the inventor crossed Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl.`Burgundy Purple` with Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl. `White`. Fromthis first cross, the inventor selected two seedlings designatedOsteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl. `Dwarf Pink` and Osteospermumfruticosum (L.) Norl. `Dwarf White` for further development. `DwarfPink` and `Dwarf White` were selected for their compact growth habit.The inventor then crossed, the variety `Dwarf Pink` with the parent`Burgundy Purple`, producing the seedling designated Osteospermumfruticosum (L.) Norl. `No. 24`. The variety designated `No. 24`possessed the desired characteristic: its flower heads did not close inlate afternoon or under low light conditions. Variety `No 24` remainedpartially open even at night. In 1989, the inventor crossed `No. 24`with `Dwarf Pink` and `No. 24` with `Dwarf White`. Seedlings from thesecrosses ranged in habit from dwarf to tall. The color of the ray floretsof these seedlings included burgundy purple, white, pink and bicolorvarieties. Six seedlings from the crosses of `Dwarf Pink` and `DwarfWhite` with `No. 24` were selected for further investigation and werepropagated by self-pollination. In spring of 1990, the inventorpropagated the six selected varieties by cuttings to determine if thecolor and other characteristics where fixed. Four varieties weredetermined to have fixed distinguishing characteristics after asexualpropagation, one of which is the new cultivar described herein named`Highside.` The controlled hybridization was conducted at the SakataSeed Chogo Research Station, 2633 Kamiyadai Chogo, Fujisawa City,Kanagawa Prefecture 252, Japan, under usual commercial nurseryconditions.

The new variety is particularly suitable for commercial pot culturebecause of its strong peduncles; dwarf, spreading, compact growinghabit; all day blooming habit; profusion of flower heads; and longblooming season (recurrent the year round at Salinas, Calif.).

The characteristics of the new variety which in combination distinguishit from its parents and all other varieties known to the inventor are:the ability of its flower heads to remain open in low light conditions;its distinctive coloring--the upper sides of the petals of the rayflorets being R.H.S. 72B Red--Purple Group, and the disk florets beingR.H.S. 89C Violet--Blue Group; its strong peduncles; and its dwarf,vigorous, broad-spreading growth habit.

The distinguishing characteristics are retained through successivegenerations when asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings of terminalshoots. Since the inventor's discovery and initial asexual propagationof the new variety in Japan, the assignee, under the direction andcontrol of the inventor, has also asexually reproduced the new varietythrough successive generations by means of cuttings at its commercialnursery in Salinas, Calif., and has found that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed remain firmly fixed.

The following table compares the new variety to the closest varietiesknown to the inventor. These are Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl.`Rose`, and Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl. `Burgundy Purple`.

    ______________________________________                                                New cultivar          `Burgundy                                               `Highside` `Rose`     Purple`                                         ______________________________________                                        Response to low                                                                         flower heads flower heads                                                                             flower heads                                light conditions                                                                        remain open  close      close                                       Color of mature                                                                         R.H.S. 72B   red-purple purple                                      ray florets (upper                                                            side)                                                                         Growth habit of                                                                         strong       weak       strong                                      peduncles.                                                                    General growth                                                                          dwarf, vigorous,                                                                           tall, vigorous,                                                                          tall, narrow                                habit.    broad        medium                                                 ______________________________________                                    

The following table compares the new variety with the selected membersof its generation of the inventor'hybridization along selecteddistinguishing characteristics:

    ______________________________________                                        New cultivar  New cultivar                                                                             New cultivar                                                                            New cultivar                               `Brightside`  `Seaside`  `Highside`                                                                              `Wildside`                                 U.S. S/N:     U.S. S/N:  U.S. S/N: U.S. S/N:                                  08/707,927    08/707,928 08/707,926                                                                              08/711,481                                 ______________________________________                                        Color of                                                                              pure white                                                                              Tips: R.H.S.                                                                             R.H.S. 72B                                                                            R.H.S. 71A                               mature ray        73B                                                         florets           Base: R.H.S.                                                (upper side)      155C                                                        Color of disk                                                                         R.H.S. 90C                                                                              R.H.S. 89C R.H.S. 89C                                                                            R.H.S. 90C                               florets                                                                       General dwarf,    dwarf,     dwarf,  dwarf,                                   growth habit                                                                          vigorous, vigorous,  vigorous,                                                                             vigorous,                                        broad     broad      medium  medium                                           spreading spreading  spreading                                                                             spreading                                ______________________________________                                    

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The new variety of Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl. is illustrated bythe accompanying color photographs which show the potted plant form,growth habit, inflorescence, foliage, and color characteristics of theplant. The colors are represented as truly as possible usingconventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a potted plant of the new varietyas described herein, illustrating the overall form and appearance of theplant in full bloom.

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the inflorescence of the plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of the new variety. Colordesignations were made according to The R.H.S. Colour Chart published byThe Royal Horticultural Society of London, England.

Observed plants were grown outdoors in Salinas, Calif. where the nighttemperature ranges on average from 50° to 60° Fahrenheit, and theaverage daytime temperature ranges from 65° to 70° Fahrenheit. Cuttingswere put into 6" pots in early August. 3 cuttings were put in each pot.Buds were pinched in December. Flowers bloomed in June of the followingyear.

The Plant

Origin: Seedling.

Parentage: Osteospermum fruticosum `No 24` and either Osteospermumfruticosum `Dwarf Pink` or Osteospermum fruticosum `Dwarf White`.

Classification:

Botanic.--Family--Compositae. Species--Osteospermum fruticosum (L.)Norl.

Commercial common name.--Cape Daisy.

Cultivar name.--`Highside`.

Form: Upright, compact, perennial shrub.

Height: As much as 36 cm. to 46 cm. for potted plants under optimumgrowing conditions.

Growth Dwarf, medium-spreading, mounded, vigorous, well-branched,self-branching.

Foliage:

Stems.--Strong, stiff peduncles, caulescent, herbaceous, ascending,erect, glabrous.

Leaves.--Simple spatulate, pinnatifid, denticulate, alternate, entire,with netted veins, rarely opposite, color is R.H.S. 137B Green Group onboth top and bottom sides, variable in size, average 6.4 cm. long by 2.5cm. wide.

Flower heads:

Buds.--Buds are various shades of yellow.

Flower heads.--Solitary on terminal peduncles.

Bracts.--Radiate involucral bracts in 1-3 rows.

Receptacle.--Flat or convex, naked.

Receptacle diameter.--8 mm.

Disk floret.--Tubular, male, anthers, sagittate, color is R.H.S. 89CViolet--Blue Group, pollen color is R.H.S. 23A Yellow--Orange Group.

Ray florets.--Ligulate, female. The upper sides of the immature petalsare various shades of pink At maturity, the upper side of the petals arered-purple (R.H.S. 72B Red--Purple Group) except for the very base ofthe petals which are white. As the petals continue to age the uppersides turn more and more white. The under sides of the immature petalsare initially various shades of red-purple and turn red-purple withwhite streaks as they age.

Achenes.--All alike or dimorphic or rarely even polymorphic.

Flower head diameter.--7.5 cm (petal tip to petal tip).

Response to low light conditions.--Flower heads remain open with petalsof ray florets remaining reflexed.

Bloom period: Plants bloom continuously outdoors under normal climateconditions at Salinas, Calif. Individual flower heads last 3-7 daysoutdoors. Plants grown in greenhouses bloom for about two weeks at atime.

Frost resistance: High.

Disease resistance: Unknown.

Fragrance: None.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct hybrid plant variety of the Compositaefamily, Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl., common commercial name CapeDaisy, named `Highside` substantially as herein shown and described.